Carlsberg Group has entered into an agreement with Sapporo Breweries, forming a major joint venture across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, and partnership in the UK. The joint venture builds on Carlsberg and Sapporo’s existing relationship, having collaborated on the sale of Sapporo Premium Beer in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore since 2024. It will include Carlsberg’s existing operations in these regions, as well as in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, and includes long-term exclusive rights to produce and distribute Sapporo Premium Beer in these markets. Additionally, Sapporo will grant Carlsberg the licence to produce and distribute Sapporo Premium Beer in the UK and Myanmar on long-term agreements. The breweries will also explore opportunities to introduce the brand to other European and Asian markets. Carlsberg will hold a 75% stake in the JV, and retain full operational control of the markets. It will receive a cash consideration of $643 million from Sapporo, which will hold a 25% stake. Carlsberg said it plans to use the cash consideration to repay debt and for general corporate purposes. Sapporo Premium Beer is described as ‘highly complementary” to Carlsberg’s brand portfolio in the JV markets, known for its Japanese provenance and premium brand positioning. Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Carlsberg Group’s CEO, said: “The new joint venture and long-term strategic partnership add Sapporo’s premium Japanese brand to Carlsberg’s strong portfolio of local and international brands and route-to-market capabilities in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, enabling us to accelerate our growth ambitions in these important markets”. Hiroshi Tokimatsu, Sapporo Breweries' CEO, commented: “By combining the strong brand equity we have built with Sapporo Premium Beer and the Carlsberg Group’s outstanding business platform across Asia and Europe, we aim to deliver even more premium and attractive experiences to customers around the world”. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in our international business strategy, and we're confident and encouraged to move forwards together as trusted partners.” Completion of the transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

German food tech start-up Plant B has announced that it is launching a sweet lupin-based liquid egg alternative “The Plant B Egg is the world's only vegan liquid egg alternative made from lupins,” said Thomas Starz “Over the past 15 months, we have been working on a highly complex production process because the classic

Two new cellular agriculture scale-up facilities have been launched in the Netherlands, supported by companies working in cell culture and precision fermentation with the essential infrastructure to scale up This complements our existing services for scaling up plant-based alternatives and downstream processing Cultivate at Scale Another facility, Cultivate at Scale, has been set up in Maastricht, Netherlands, This site is supported by Dutch cultivated meat start-up Mosa Meat, which is headquartered in Maastricht

Extra Thick Chocolate Cream will roll out in a 250ml tub, launching exclusively in Lidl stores this month combines globally inspired flavours with whole foods, providing 30g of protein, at least 19g of fibre and up Plenish Zero Sugar Oat M*lk began rolling out at Waitrose stores earlier this month for an RRP of £2.35

Beverage technology company Endless West has raised $60 million in a Series C funding round led by venture capital fund, Level One Fund. Other investors included UBS O'Connor, Horizons Ventures, SOSV, Casa Verde and Rage Capital. Endless West uses a technology-driven process to create molecular spirits, identifying key flavour and aroma molecules (or notes), which are then extracted from efficient sources in nature — including plants, fruits and yeasts. The funding will be used to launch a new business-to-business platform, Blank Collective, which will enable the company's molecular process to become available to external parties and offer product development and production services for partners. Alec Lee, co-founder and CEO of Endless West, said: "Since we founded the company we've been pushing the boundaries of what people thought was possible in the wine and spirits industry. I'm thrilled to announce this next round of funding that will help us take our incredible technology to the world and make it available for others looking to create their own great products." Last year, the company raised $21 million in Series B funding. The latest round will bring its total financing to $95 million.

Paul McCreery, founder of Fibre UP Fibre UP Soft Drinks was awarded the title of Best Health & Wellness Here, Paul McCreery, the founder of Fibre UP, shares his thoughts on the significance of this achievement Fibre UP is the only soft drink offering 50% of the recommended fibre intake per serving.

Watercoolers Europe (WE) is gearing up for its WE Event in Torremolinos, Málaga, a key date for professionals Attendees can expect a mix of keynote talks and networking opportunities designed to keep professionals up

As the UK intensifies its focus on reducing high-sugar beverages, Air Up is stepping into the spotlight The Shaky Shakes Pods leverage Air Up's patented Scentaste technology, which enhances the taste of plain Each Pod is capable of flavouring at least five litres of water, allowing a single pack to deliver up User surveys reveal promising results regarding hydration habits among Air Up customers. Approximately 69% of users reported increased daily water consumption after six months, while 57% noted

Bel Group is strengthening its position in the better-for-you snacking category through the acquisition of Ingenuity Foods and its Brainiac and Little Brainiac brands. The move adds a fast-growing functional snack platform to Bel’s North American portfolio, which already includes category-leading brands such as Babybel, GoGo squeeZ, Boursin and The Laughing Cow. Brainiac, known for snacks formulated with Omega-3s and nutrients designed to support brain health and development, has experienced triple-digit value net sales growth over the past year. The acquisition aligns closely with Bel’s strategy to expand its portfolio of portion-sized, real-ingredient snacks targeting children and families. Peter McGuinness, CEO of Bel North America, said: “This move gives us more scale, product choices and breadth across our portfolio and truly is a 1 + 1 = 3 opportunity for us and Ingenuity. By bringing Brainiac brands into our family of brands, we’re not just adding more products; we’re unlocking a new era of growth, innovation, and social impact.” The acquisition further strengthens Bel’s presence in the fruit snack category, particularly among younger consumers. Brainiac’s portfolio includes smoothies, juice squeezers, fruit snacks and baby and toddler products positioned around functional nutrition. Bel said the acquisition complements broader market trends, including rising demand for functional foods, evolving dietary guidance and the impact of GLP-1-related eating habits on consumer purchasing behaviour. Mark Brooks, CEO and co-founder of Ingenuity Foods, said: “We are excited to join forces with Bel and bring Brainiac to even more families in more places." The acquisition also signals continued investment in U.S. manufacturing for Bel, following the company’s recent production expansion in South Dakota. Bel operates facilities across Idaho, Michigan, Wisconsin and South Dakota, with North American offices in Chicago and New York City. Top image: © Brainiac

Arla Foods-owned Lurpak is expanding its flavoured butter portfolio with the launch of Lurpak Chilli & Garlic. Rolling out from April 2026, the NPD builds on the strong performance of Lurpak Garlic Butter and is positioned to drive incremental growth in the rapidly expanding flavoured butter segment. With an MRRP of £2.50, the product will debut in a practical stick format designed to simplify portioning and appeal to a younger generation of home cooks. Lurpak Chilli & Garlic has been developed to meet increasing consumer appetite for heat and intensity in everyday cooking. The brand is positioning the product as an accessible way to elevate meals with minimal effort, aligning with broader trends around convenience and flavour experimentation in the home. Catriona Mantle, marketing director for BSM at Arla Foods, comments: “With Lurpak Chilli & Garlic, we’re unlocking even more excitement in the category and building on the momentum we’ve created with Lurpak Garlic Butter, the UK’s number one flavoured butter." The launch sits within Lurpak’s “Unleash Full Flavour” platform, which focuses on delivering impactful taste experiences and reinforcing the brand’s role as a catalyst for better home cooking. Mantle continued: "The launch brings the heat and flavour consumers are looking for, in a simple, versatile format that makes great-tasting meals easier every day. We’re confident it will attract new shoppers to Lurpak and drive incremental growth for retailers.” Lurpak Chilli & Garlic will be available initially in Morrisons and Ocado from April, with wider distribution across UK retailers beginning in May 2026. The launch comes as Lurpak approaches its 125th anniversary, with the brand set to increase marketing investment throughout the year.

Yogurt brand Nomadic is expanding its portfolio with the launch of Fuel Up, a new range of dairy-based Both Fuel Up drinks are packed with essential vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and folic acid, as well as key Nomadic's Fuel Up is available at Spar stores for an RRP of £3.50 for 500ml cartons.

in nine international markets and has reportedly delivered over 4.5 million orders in the past six months “We have been following their stellar growth over the past few months, and we are beyond excited to be